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American Veterinary Center
Happier & Healthier Pets |
30-
El Gezira EL Wosta Street
Zamalik , Cairo, Egypt. 11211
Tel .# 02 27376664
Mob.# 016 8877005 |
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Visit
Us Today
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Dealing with the Loss of
a Pet
The death of a beloved pet can be very
distressing. Our pets are not only members of the family, they are
our faithful friends, our children’s devoted playmates and
reliable, affectionate companions for the elderly or disabled.
They enrich our day-to-day lives and their passing makes for a
deeply felt loss.
There are many
reasons why
we may have to face a pet's death:
- Terminal illness
- Old age or senility
- Fatal accident or unexpected occurrence
- Behavioral problems
- Long-term or chronic illness entailing heavy burdens in terms
of care and/or finances
Most of these factors may place you in the heartbreaking position of
having to contemplate euthanasia. As an owner, you are responsible
for your pet’s overall health and welfare. When his or her quality
of life deteriorates, determining to do the humane thing and end the
pet’s needless suffering may be one of the hardest decisions you
will ever have to make. That is why bereavement often begins before
the actual death of a pet.
Points to
consider when assessing your pet's quality of life:
- Pain or serious discomfort when walking or moving
- Drastic loss of appetite
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea following eating or drinking
- Difficulty in breathing
- Incontinence or other serious problems with urination or
defecation
- Capacity to see and hear properly
- Unresponsive, unmanageable or dangerous behavior
Gain Support
Talk to your veterinarian. He or she can
give you a complete assessment of your pet’s health and level of
suffering, as well as assist you in evaluating your options. This
will go a long way in helping you make your decision. You should
also speak about your concerns with family and friends in order to
enlist their support during this difficult time.
Adult Grief
Losing a friend, and that is what your pet
is, is always very painful. Facing such a loss is not easy, and may
evoke feelings of denial, anger, guilt or depression before
acceptance is reached. These reactions are entirely natural and
should be expressed. Everyone grieves in his or her own way. You may
experience some or all of these feelings, in varying degrees and for
different lengths of time. Acknowledging them is an important step
in the mourning process, one that will help you understand why you
may have withdrawn from, or lashed out at, people who care about
you. You should realize that it is perfectly natural to need
comforting. It will not only help you cope with your emotions and
adjust to life without your pet, but may allow you, in the future,
to provide welcome support to others around you who are experiencing
the same loss.
Children’s
Grief
 Be
honest. Children are very intuitive and know when something is
wrong. In wanting to safeguard them from a painful experience, you
may feel it’s wiser to exclude them from the decision-making
process. Once the decision is made, talk openly about what has
happened. Provide your children with honest, simple answers that are
appropriate for their age group, using terms they know and
understand. Not only will they respect you for your honesty, but
they will also be better prepared to deal with the situation.
Avoid euphemisms. Younger children can be confused by phrases like
“went to sleep.” Indeed, employing such terms may lead to fear and
cause some children to become anxious about actually going to sleep.
Encourage children to speak freely about their pet’s death and give
them the opportunity to vent their grief and sadness. Share some of
your own feelings and involve them in the pet’s funeral
preparations, if any. This will help them deal with their concerns
and give them the chance to say goodbye in their own way.
Make sure that children understand that no one is to blame for the
pet’s death. Such an occurrence may arouse their curiosity about
death and its consequences in general. A factual, straightforward
approach, using answers or illustrations that are appropriate for
their age group, will help guide children through the grieving
process and lead to their acceptance of the pet’s death, without
pangs of unnecessary guilt.
The
Healing Process
Even though we may not believe it at the
time, the old adage “time heals” does hold true when we are faced
with the loss of a beloved pet. Recognize that loss and give
yourself the emotional time and space to grieve. Getting over the
sorrow, guilt and pain varies from person to person. Seek help. Many
hotlines, chat rooms, message boards and support groups are
available on the Internet, and books on adult and child bereavement
may help you better understand what you are experiencing. And, if
you need to, don’t hesitate to reach out for others’ personal and
professional assistance. Talk to your veterinarian, trusted friends,
or a therapist. Make a donation or volunteer your services to a pet
shelter or Humane Society. With time, the pain will lessen and you
and your family will be able to fully cherish happy memories of your
special friend.
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We understand that
your pet is a very special member of your family. |
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